Fun

7 Delicious but Quick Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights

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With the holidays approaching, sometimes it’s nice to have a few simple dinner recipes on hand. Find time to make nutritious and delicious meals the entire family will love with these easy recipes from Krista Numbers’s new book, Simplify Supper.

1. Homemade Marinara Sauce

  • · 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • · 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • · 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • · 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • · 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • · 1 tablespoon sugar
  • · 1 (5 oz.) can tomato paste
  • · 2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
  • · Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and stir about 5 minutes until evenly caramelized. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook another few minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add chicken broth and use to deglaze bottom of pot. Add sugar, tomato paste, and undrained diced tomatoes. Stir to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce reaches desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Tips: To freeze, ladle room-temperature sauce into plastic containers or plastic bags. Seal and freeze for as long as 4 months. You may want to freeze sauce in single servings (1–2 cups). To thaw sauce, place frozen container in refrigerator overnight or place frozen pieces into saucepan, cover, and bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Avocado Veggie Panini

  • · 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • · 1 shallot, minced
  • · Mushrooms (8 oz.), sliced
  • · 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • · 2 cups spinach leaves
  • · Salt and pepper to taste
  • · 2 avocados
  • · 8 slices rustic bread
  • · 4 slices mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced shallots and sauté about 1 minute until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté another 2 minutes. Add tomato slices and spinach and stir for about 1 minute, until spinach starts to wilt. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Peel and pit avocados and place in medium bowl. Mash avocado with fork, then spread on each slice of bread. Assemble sandwiches by arranging vegetable mixture on bread slices. Top with cheese and cover with another slice of bread. Place sandwich into hot panini press and grill about 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

3. Cilantro Lime Rice

  • · 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
  • · 3 cups water
  • · Juice from 1 lime
  • · Zest from 1 lime
  • · 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • · Salt to taste

Rinse rice to remove extra starch. Strain well. In medium saucepan, bring water to boil. Add rice, reduce heat, and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and cover with lid. Let stand about 3 minutes. Strain additional water. Gently fold in lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and salt.

4. Easiest Enchiladas

  • · 8 flour or wheat tortillas
  • · 1 cup sour cream
  • · 1 small can green chile peppers
  • · 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
  • · 3 cups enchilada sauce
  • · Grated cheddar cheese (for topping)
  • · Sliced olives (for topping)

Spread each tortilla with sour cream. Sprinkle with chile peppers and cheese. Roll up and place in 9 × 13 casserole dish. Pour enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas. Cover with additional cheese and sprinkle olives on top. Bake covered at 325° F for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and bake for additional 2–5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

5. Sassy Chicken Soup

  • · 4 cups chicken broth
  • · 2 pounds chicken breast, cooked and cubed
  • · 1 (15 oz.) can black beans
  • · 1 (15 oz.) can tomatoes with green chiles
  • · 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
  • · 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • · 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • · 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • · 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • · 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • · Sour cream and cheese for topping, if desired

Put all ingredients, except sour cream and cheese, in large stockpot. Stir to combine; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream and grated cheese, if desired.

6. Cannoli

  • · 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • · 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • · 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • · 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • · 1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
  • · 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • · 1 dash cinnamon
  • · 12 cannoli shells

Place ricotta in strainer and apply light pressure to remove as much liquid as possible. If necessary, wrap ricotta in a piece of cheesecloth first to prevent it from pushing through the strainer. Place drained ricotta in medium bowl and whisk until most of lumps are smoothed out. Sift in powdered sugar and continue to whisk. Using mixer, beat cream until it becomes stiff and forms peaks. Using spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to filling cannoli shells. Do not fill shells until just before serving, as shells become soggy fairly quickly.

7. Homemade Baked Churros

  • · 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • · 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • · 1 cup water
  • · 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • · 3 eggs
  • · 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • · 1/2 cup cinnamon
  • · 1/2 cup sugar
  • · Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350° F. In medium saucepan, combine butter, salt, and water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, add flour. Stir to combine. Mixture will thicken as you stir. Leaving dough in saucepan, beat dough on low with a hand mixer, adding one egg at a time and mixing well after each. When mixture is well combined, add vanilla. Spoon dough into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and pipe 6- to 8-inch rows of dough, leaving at least 1 inch between each churro. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure churros are a nice golden brown before removing. In large, flat dish, combine cinnamon and sugar. When churros have cooled, spray each one lightly with cooking spray, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.


From her grandfather Salvatore Granato's roots in Southern Italy to the legacy of her family's beloved Italian deli in the heart of Salt Lake City, Krista Numbers has a deep-seated love for good food. In Simplify Supper, this busy wife and mother proves that simple can be satisfying as she dishes up dozens of delectable dinners. From some of her family's best-loved Italian meals to fast feasts with an international flair, discover quick comfort foods you'll want at the heart of your dinner table.

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